CASTLEWELLAN LIBRARY – ROOF RESTORATION (2016)

CASTLEWELLAN LIBRARY – ROOF RESTORATION (2016)

Standing in the centre of Castlewellan Co Down, the old market house (now Castlewellan Library) has had many uses over the years. It has been a sales venue, a ballroom, a gaol, a court and a police station amongst other things. In recent years it had become increasingly apparent that the envelope of the building was starting to deteriorate and was in need of immediate repair.

£200k of funding was secured for the listed building, and in early 2016 the library underwent major renovation. LBS assisted the South Eastern Education & Library Board (S.E.E.L.B) in identifying and matching the original roofing materials and subsequently supplied the project with Bangor Blue Capital Grade slates.

The old ‘market house’ is part of a legacy of heritage buildings owed to the Annesley family. They purchased the freehold to the Castlewellan estate in the 1740s and subsequently land around Newcastle. A hugely wealthy family they were responsible for an exceptional amount of building and landscaping around the Dundrum, Castlewellan, and Newcastle areas. The wall around their Castlewellan estate, stretched approximately nine miles, and is still for the most part intact.

Unfortunately, many of the original structures such as the original house in Castlewellan have been lost or demolished, others such as Mount Panther, between Dundrum and Newcastle are in a state of severe disrepair.

There is no certain recorded date of the construction of the market house (Castlewellan Library), but it is believed to have been around 1764, with the addition of a clock tower a number of years later. Local rumour has it that the clock tower was destined for the Custom & Excise House in Dublin but it did not fit, and ended up instead in Castlewellan.

Lagan Building Solutions specialise in natural roofing materials for the repair and renovation of landmark buildings, listed properties and churches. We have over a decades experience in this field of expertise and as a member of the Institute of Roofing, and are qualified to assist in the identification and matching of original roofing materials.

If you would like assistance with a heritage or restoration project please do not hesitate to contact our team.